Apparatus for lighting the screens used with cinematographs and the like.



L.'McCORMlCK. HE SCREENS USED WITH CINEMATOGRAPHS AND vT-l-IE LIKE. vAPPLICATION HLED OCT. 30. 1915. 1 210 960. v Patented Jan. 2,1917. 8 9 2SHEETSSHEET l.

APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING T I I 'L. Mc-CORMICK. APPARATUS FOR LIGHTINGTHESCRE ENS USED WITH 'CINEMATOGRAPHS AND THE [IKE APPLICATION- mzn0CT-30 l915. Patented 2,1917

A 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LANGDON McCORMICK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING THE SCREENS USED WITH CINEMATOGRAPHS AND THELIKE.

Original application filed April 10, 1914,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LANGDON MCCORMICK, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at 139 West Forty-seventh street, New York city, inthe county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Apparatus for Lighting the Screens Used withCinematographs and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for lighting thescreens used with cmematographs and the like.

This application is a divisional application of m pending applicationSerial No.

831,015, fi ed April 10, 1914.

It is well known that when a series of pictures are shown on the screenit frequently happens that lights for exam le, the moon,

fire, lamps on approaching vehicles, rockets, flashes from fire arms,and other moving or stationary lights, are represented by the actualpictures and have been lackin in life.

My invention consists in provi ing lights behind the screen whichregister with the ictures of lights on the screen, the said ights, atthe back of the screen being visible.

through the screen from the front thereof.

The primary object of this divisional application is to provide meansfor carrying out the above noted objects which consists in placingmovable lam s back of a screen, the lamps being move to correspond, orthey are manipulated so that they appear to 85 be moving simultaneouslywith a moving picture thrown on the front of a screen.

Other objects and advantages of the present improvement will be setforth in the following specification and drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a screen, lamps, and cinematograph arraned to carry out the present improvement. ig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe framework for the lamps and showing the means for arranging 46 andoperating the said lamps. Fig. 3 is a detached, enlarged, perspectiveview of one of the lamps and the ides therefor. Fig. 4 is a verticalsectiona view through one of the lights.

Referrin now to the drawin in which 15m ref in detail,

erence numera s designate similar parts throughout the several figures,and in particular to Fig.1, the reference Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Serial No. 831,015. Divided and this application filed October 30, 1915.Serial No. 58,896.

numeral 1 represents a cinematograph apparatus of the usual type whichis usually positioned at the back of the theater. In front of theapparatus 1 (and usually on the stage of the theater) is a framework 2of rectangular shape, and in front of the framework is a translucentscreen 1. The

sides of the framework are provided withv openings 8 arranged directlyopposite each other. The openings 8 are adapted to receive the reducedends 9 of rectangularly shaped soft metal bars 10 which form guides forlamp casings 11. The upper and lower surfaces of the lamp casings 11 aregrooved at 12 to fit on the adjacent surfaces of the guides. Members 13fit within'the grooves 12 and are provided with spring contacts toinsure electric connection between the guides and said members 13.Current is supplied to each of the guides 10 through connections withthe electric supply as will be hereinafter explained. An electric lamp16 is carried within each lamp casing and receives current through thecontact members 13 as will be readily understood. Openings 17 areprovided in the front face and ends of the lamp casings through whichthe light may shine and their openings may be closed by shutters 18.

Meansfor moving the lights along the guides 10 is provided whichconsists of a pulley 19 mounted within a grooved block 20 arrangedbetween the guides 10 and adjacent one of the sides of the framework. A

line 21 having one end connected to the lamp casing passes over thepulle 19 and thence is fastened to a drum 22 w ich is revolved by amotor 23; As the line 21 is drawn onto the drum 22 the light casing 11is slid between the guides 10.

In the top and bottom of the framework are openings 24 to.receive theends of guides or tracks 25, similar to the guides 10. A lamp 26 isalso'held between the guides 25 which is drawn up and down by means of.a line 27 passing over a pulley 28, and thence to a drum 29, which isrotated by a motor30.

When the representation of light appears in a moving picture thrown onthe screen,"

described the lamp box is moved on its track to correspond with theposition of the representation of light in the pictures.

Wires 43 connect the lamps with a source of electricity, the currentbeing controlled by switches 44, conventionally illustrated in thedrawings.

In operation, if a picture is thrown on the screen, one of the switches44 is closed to light one of the lamps, and one of the motors isstarted, with the result that the lighted lamp will be moved on thetrack to follow the position of the representation of light in thepicture. The light from the bulb l6 shines through the translucentscreen and to the moving picture to illuminate the representation of thelight in the picture.

As has been heretofore stated any variety of lights may be used toindicate the head light of a locomotive, lights on a boat, train, skyrocket, fire, etc., several of these forms being here illustrated. Thebars 10 being of soft material, may be bent as shown in Fig. 2 so as tofollow the representation of lights in the picture.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is g 1. Acinematograph apparatus comprising a projecting apparatus, a translucentscreen, and a movable lamp behind the said "screen for the purposedescribed.

. 2. A cinematograph apparatus comprising a projecting apparatus, atranslucent screen, a movable lamp behind the said screen, and means formoving the lamp to correspond with the picture produced on the screen.

3. A cinematograph apparatus comprising a projecting apparatus, atranslucent screen, a lamp positioned to direct light to a particularpoint on the screen, and means for moving the lamp to correspond withthe picture produced on the screen to show actual light on a part ofsaid picture.

4. A cinematograph apparatus comprising a projecting apparatus,atranslucent screen, a movable lamp behind the screen, and an adjustabletrack for the said lamp.

5. A cinematograph apparatus comprising a projecting apparatus, atranslucent screen, a lamp behind the screen, an adjustable track forthe lamp, and means for moving the lamp to correspond to the picturesproduced on the screen.

6. A cinematograph apparatus comprising a projecting apparatus, atranslucent screen, a series of lamps behind the screen, tracks on whichthe lamps travel, means for moving the lamps on the tracks to correspondwith the pictures produced on the screen, and means for controlling thelighting of the lamps.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

LANGDON MOCORMICK.

Witnesses GEO. REED, MORELL BmTwmsTLE.

